Academic Standards and Grading
The cumulative grade point average for all graduate courses taken at St. John Fisher College must be at least 3.00 to satisfy the requirements for the graduate degree. Transferred and waived credits and credits for undergraduate courses taken while in a graduate program are not used in the graduate GPA computation. No student may receive more than one “F” grade and must repeat the course in which it was earned if the course is a degree requirement. A student earning a second “F” grade will be dismissed.
Note: Pharmacy standards and grading can be found in the Wegmans School of Pharmacy section.
Grades
| A to B: | Acceptable |
| B- to C: | Passing; not acceptable |
| F: | Failure |
| FA: | Failure due to excessive absences |
| AU: | Audit |
| I: | Incomplete |
| IP: | In Progress (capstone/project courses only) |
| S: | Satisfactory* |
| U: | Unsatisfactory* |
| W: | Withdrawn |
*The “S” grade for a capstone or project is equivalent to a “B” or higher. If less than a “B” is earned, the grade of “U” is given.
Incomplete Grades
The Incomplete (I) grade is used ONLY when required assignments are not completed due to serious circumstances which are clearly beyond the student’s control. The instructor, after consultation with the student, submits an Incomplete (I) grade.
The missing coursework must be completed by the published deadline which is six weeks from the last day of final examinations for the term.
If the missing work is not submitted by the deadline, the Incomplete grade will be converted to a Failing (F) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade as appropriate.
The instructor and student will receive weekly email reminders from the Registrar’s office until the incomplete grade is resolved.
An appeal for an extension of the six week deadline must be filed in writing with the Program Director at least one week before the Incomplete (I) grade is scheduled to convert to an F or U. The appeal must contain a full explanation of why an extension is being requested and have the written support of the instructor. If approved, the Program Director will notify the Registrar’s Office if the extension is approved. Under no circumstances can the extension be longer than six additional weeks.
Note: A student may not graduate from St. John Fisher College with an incomplete grade on his/her record. Incomplete grades will be converted to grades before eligibility for graduation is determined.
In Progress
Capstone/project courses requiring more than one semester to complete may be graded “IP” (In Progress) at the end of the term in which the student registered for and began the capstone/project.
When the project is finished and a grade change is processed in the Registrar’s Office, the grade of “IP” will be replaced with the earned final grade. A notation will be placed on the transcript indicating the date on which the course was graded.
The “IP” grade must be resolved within one calendar year from the date the “IP” was assigned by the instructor. If the “IP” is not replaced with a passing final grade by the deadline, the IP will convert to an F or U as appropriate. In this case, to earn credit for the course, the student must register for the course again and pay the prevailing per credit tuition charge.
Withdrawal From Course
Students may withdraw from courses without academic record, with a grade of “W” or with the penalty grade of “F” as noted in the semester academic calendar. No withdrawal will be permitted after the designated date.
Repeating a Course
Once earned, a grade remains permanently on the transcript. Unless specifically allowed by a student’s program, courses with a grade below “B” may be retaken only at St. John Fisher College and may be retaken only once. When a course is retaken, all grades appear on the transcript; however, the grade received the last time the course is taken will be the grade computed in the GPA. If a student repeats a course in which a passing grade below “B” has been earned, additional credits are not earned.
Auditing
With permission of the instructor and program director, individuals holding bachelor’s degrees may audit select courses. Audit students do not earn credit. The faculty member determines the conditions of the audit with regard to assignments and examinations in discussion with the auditor. Auditors must have the written approval of the course instructor and cannot retroactively upgrade to credit-seeking status. Additionally, a credit student cannot switch to audit status. Once written permission is obtained from the instructor, students must register and make payment for the course at the prevailing tuition rate for the course.
Grade Reporting
Final grades are available at the end of each semester in Fish ‘R’ Net.
Change of Grade
Only the faculty member who reported a grade may initiate a grade change. Students who feel there has been an error in grading or who wish to challenge a grade must contact the professor within thirty (30) days of the date the grade is posted. If the matter is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction the appeal will be forwarded to the Graduate Program and School Dean for a final decision. Appeals concerning a grade initiated more than 30 days after the grade is posted will not be heard.